


Home Is Not Always Where the Heart Is...

by muses_circle, xtremeroswellian



Series: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala [13]
Category: Smallville, Supernatural
Genre: 33.1, Bestest Cousins, Disagreements, Dysfunctional Relationships, F/M, Families of Choice, Family, Friendship, Gen, Pregnancy Tests, Protective Lois Lane, Smallville - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24061951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muses_circle/pseuds/muses_circle, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: "Maybe this is a bad idea," she whispered almost inaudibly."Too late for that, Chloe," Dean replied flatly, seeing the Kent Farm driveway ahead of them, closing in quickly. "You said you wanted to make sure your mom was okay, so that's what we're going to do."
Relationships: Chloe Sullivan & Clark Kent, Chloe Sullivan & Lois Lane, Chloe Sullivan & Moira Sullivan, Chloe Sullivan & Sam Winchester, Chloe Sullivan & Sarah Blake, Chloe Sullivan/Dean Winchester, Sarah Blake/Sam Winchester
Series: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1722754
Kudos: 2





	Home Is Not Always Where the Heart Is...

The ride had been long and tiring, but the Impala somehow made it back to Kansas. Again. Dean frowned as he saw the somewhat familiar "Welcome to Smallville" sign and wondered why they had chosen to meet there, of all places. Lex Luthor lived there; one of his plants was housed there. Hell, Chloe's former flame was watching over her loved ones and the rest of the town. Why meet in such an obvious place?

His foot pressed on the gas, making the turn towards the Kent Farm hard and ragged. 

Chloe winced a the sharp turn, biting down hard on her lower lip and pressing a hand against her ribs as she sat beside him in the passenger seat. She'd managed to keep the three of them out of her mind pretty well, but it was a struggle to continue to do so. She was tired. And more than a little nervous. It still hadn't sunk in that her mother wasn't crazy--that she was simply another meteor-infected person with some kind of special powers that Lex Luthor wanted to get his hands on. 

Swallowing hard, she shut her eyes against the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her. She was far from being a hundred percent healed and she wasn't looking forward to the moment when Clark and Oliver and the others found out what had happened. 

"Maybe this is a bad idea," she whispered almost inaudibly. 

"Too late for that, Chloe," Dean replied flatly, seeing the Kent Farm driveway ahead of them, closing in quickly. "You said you wanted to make sure your mom was okay, so that's what we're going to do." He glanced back and looked at Sam, who was staring out the window, obviously distracted by something.

 _What's eating you?_ he asked in his mind, letting down his mental guard for a moment. 

Sam blinked and turned his head to glance at Sarah, whose head was resting on the window as she slept. Then he glanced at his brother. _Just worried about Sarah_ , he admitted. 

The eldest Winchester glanced at his sister-in-law in the rearview mirror. She looked troubled, deeply troubled. Not something she was willing to mention, either, not since Sam had the forlorn puppy dog my-best-friend-just-died look about him the last couple days. _What's wrong with her?_ he asked as he turned the Impala into the Kent driveway. 

He tensed a little and stared out the window once more. _The things the demon said to her...she's really freaked out, Dean. I don't know how to get through to her._

He glanced at Chloe and nodded ever so slightly. _Maybe once Chloe's better, she'll talk to her, he replied with a deep frown. In the meantime... hell, I don't know, Sam. Give her space or something?_ "We're here," he said out loud, pulling the car next to an old red truck. 

_Yeah. I know. I'm trying._ Sam sighed softly and hesitantly reached out and placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "We're at the Kent's, Sarah." 

Rousing at a familiar touch, Sarah slitted her eyes sleepily. Then shot up straight when she realized Sam was trying to wake her up. Eyes wide, she looked at him. "Already?" she whispered, keeping her mental block up as best she could. Sam's mind was always with hers, gently pressing out of concern. She put a weary hand to her head.

"You've been Sleeping Beauty for most of the trip," Dean said, smirking faintly. 

Sam gave her a small, warm smile though the worry was obvious in his eyes. "How ya feeling?" he whispered. 

"Fine," she automatically replied, not looking at him. "Tired... I don't know."

Clearing his throat, Dean glanced at Chloe, who had turned a few shades of pale. "Hey, we can do this... tomorrow, if you want." He took her hand, pressing it gently. 

"No." She straightened her shoulders, forced herself to take a deep breath, and reached for the door handle. If she didn't do this now, she was afraid she'd lose all nerve. She slid out of the car slowly and almost instantly got slammed by a wave of dizziness. Gripping onto the Impala door while she regained her balance, she looked toward the house, her heart thudding heavily in her chest. 

Dean jumped out of the driver's seat and slid across the hood, grasping Chloe so she wouldn't fall into a puddle on the ground. "Whoa, take it easy," he whispered, putting his arms around her. 

"Stood up too fast," she murmured, sagging against him for a moment. 

Sam slowly climbed out of the backseat and moving around to the other side of the car to open the door for Sarah. He held his hand out to her, his eyes pleading with her not to turn him down. 

Dark eyes begged, and it was more than she could stand. Swallowing hard, Sarah put her hand in Sam's and slowly got out of the car, moving into his warmth for a moment before turning up to stare at him with blank, emotionless eyes. "Thanks," she whispered, mustering a small smile. 

He swallowed hard, nodding a little and lifting a hand to her cheek as he gazed at her. Even though he knew her mental walls were up, keeping him shut firmly out of her mind, he thought, _I'm sorry._

Casting a glance at Sam and Sarah, Chloe drew a breath, knowing she was going to have to talk to Sarah very soon. She slowly pulled away from Dean and moved toward the front door, wrapping her arms around herself. 

Looking back at the others, Dean followed closely behind Chloe to make sure she remained steady on her feet. The last thing they needed was a game of twenty questions from the Boy Wonder or Oliver Queen. In fact, he bit back an underhanded retort when he saw Clark standing on the porch, obviously having heard the Impala's purring engine.

"Chloe? Dean?" Clark called, a little shocked to see all four of the Impala passengers in such bad shape. What had happened to them? 

Chloe managed to force a small smile on her face. "Hey, Clark," she said, her voice still weak like the rest of her. 

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what was wrong, but one dark look from Dean made Clark think twice. "How was the trip?" he asked, holding the door open for them.

"Long," Dean replied in a flat, emotionless voice. 

"Thanks," she murmured, slowly stepping into the familiar house that had once been like a second home to her. She slowly made her way over to the sofa and sank down into it, closing her eyes. 

Sam guided Sarah up the porch, a hand resting lightly on the small of her back. "Clark." He nodded at him. 

Clark smiled cordially and nodded at both of them, noticing both looked worse for the wear. He kept his mouth shut, though: the last thing they all needed was any kind of trouble. Especially since Lex had spies everywhere lately.

He shut the door behind them and walked into the living room behind them.

Sarah sat down next to Chloe and covered her hand. "It'll be good to see your mom," she whispered. 

She tried to smile but didn't quite manage it as she nodded a little, still feeling vaguely nauseous. She looked up, meeting Clark's eyes for a brief moment and then quickly looking away once more. "They're not here yet?" 

"Oliver's coming," Clark replied, standing in the breezeway, apart from the rest of the group. "He's got the others scouting out the farm to make sure no one's looking."

Dean shot his head over to glare at Clark. "Oh please tell me Luthor's not here." _I have unfinished business with that bastard,_ he thought. 

Sam tensed at Lex's name, as well, and stared hard at Clark. 

"Guys," Chloe whispered, looking between the Winchester brothers. "Try to relax." She could feel their tension as though it were her own, pressing harshly against her mind though she neither of them meant for it to. 

"Yeah, Sam, relax," Dean replied in a nonchalant voice, trying to keep a lid on his anger.

Sarah rolled her eyes a little and looked at Clark. "When will they be here?"

Looking at them, his eyes alight with curiosity, he replied, "Probably in an hour. Can I get anyone something to eat or drink?"

Dean moved from his standing position behind the couch. "I really could use a beer." 

"Make that two," Sam spoke up, glancing at his brother, then at the girls on the sofa. 

Chloe shut her eyes, letting her head rest back against the sofa cushions as the urge to sleep washed over her. 

Sarah watched the three men walk into the kitchen, then looked at Chloe. "Maybe you should... rest until your mom gets here," she suggested hesitantly, feeling the need to sleep for the next week herself. 

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "What's going on with you?" she whispered, turning her head to look at Sarah with worry in her eyes. 

Sarah met her friend's gaze, though every instinct told her to physically stand up and leave the room. "I'm afraid, Chloe," she whispered instead, seeing that same emotion in the other's eyes as well. "I think you know what I'm talking about." 

She reached out and placed a hand on Sarah's arm wordlessly, her eyes tired and filled with worry and fear as she nodded slightly. 

Blowing out a breath, she looked away and down at her hand against her stomach. It had settled there unconsciously, it seemed. "I can't stop thinking about... you know..." She shrugged, trying to blow it off. 

"I know." She swallowed hard, remembering her own pregnancy scare right after she'd met Dean and Sam. "I know you know this but...if you are...pregnant." She paused, wincing a little as her ribs ached painfully. "This is your baby. You and Sam's. Not that yellow-eyed bastard." 

She took a deep breath. "I know, I know, Chloe, but what if it's right? What if that baby...?" A shudder of panic sped through her body, making her shiver in terror. She couldn't bear the thought, even though it was the burning question. If the Demon wanted Sam, if Sam was to lead the army to fight it, then what would that mean for her? For their baby, if she really was pregnant?

A single tear slipped down her cheek. 

Feeling her friend's pain intensely, Chloe winced and slowly pulled her into a hug. "I don't know," she whispered back. "But you need to talk to Sam. You don't have to do this alone. He loves you and I know you love him." 

She put her chin on Chloe's shoulder and sighed, hugging her back. "I don't know what to tell him," she whispered, feeling his eyes on her suddenly and looking across the room at him. "I feel so... separated from him, and it's all my fault." 

"No, it's not." Chloe shut her eyes. "This is because of the demon. Not you. And not Sam." 

Sarah didn't quite believe her, but she smiled faintly. "I wish... I think Sam and I should probably talk, but I need to know first." She pulled back and looked at Chloe, her eyes sad yet anxious. 

She drew in a breath and cast a glance over her shoulder, spotting all three men looking at them worriedly. She turned back to Sarah. "You wanna go get a test?" she asked very softly. 

"As soon as humanly possible," she replied softly, not wanting the others to hear. She met Sam's eyes, filled with worry, and tried not to cry right then and there. 

"Let's go now, then." She bit down on her lower lip as she rose to her feet. 

Dean saw the women move and took a step towards them. "Wait, where are you two going?" he asked, his voice a little hard with anxiety. 

"Making a quick trip to the store," Chloe said softly, meeting his eyes briefly. 

"I'll take you," Dean immediately stated, reaching for the car keys. He was surprised to see Sarah brutally yank them out of his hand.

"Hey, we got this, okay?" she replied, giving him a cautionary look before glancing at Sam. "We'll be back soon." 

Sam looked hesitant, worried. "Sarah, Lex lives here. For all we know, he knows we're here. I'm not sure it's safe to--" 

"What? You two suddenly think we can't take care of ourselves?" she snapped, angry suddenly. "You think I can't protect Chloe, either?"

Clark looked between the men and woman and was suddenly glad he didn't have anyone in his life.

"Whoa, Sarah, that's not what Sam's saying," Dean replied, picking up the argument. "And I agree with him. It's not safe out there. You two could be taken." 

Sam stared at her. "After what happened back there, do you really think you and Chloe either one could stand a chance of escaping Lex Luthor and his men? We know he's still after--" He cut himself off quickly, suddenly remembering Clark was in the room, completely unaware of what had happened. 

Chloe flinched a little but avoided looking at him. 

"Tough, Winchester, we're going." Turning on her heel, Sarah stormed out of the house, holding onto the Impala’s keys. She didn't want to have to explain herself now of all times. She wanted answers first. 

"We'll be back soon," Chloe murmured, slowly following her friend out the door. 

Dean watched them go, a little shocked and not comforted by this display of total disregard for their lives. Nice going, Sam, he thought, tossing a glare at his brother.

"Uh, you want me to follow them?" Clark asked, confused over what was happening. 

"Yes," Sam said without hesitation, looking suddenly tired and defeated as his shoulders slumped. 

Nodding, Clark listened for the Impala speeding down the driveway before taking off, a breeze the only indication he had left the room.

His beer still in hand, Dean tossed himself onto the couch. "Great, now what?" 

Sam sank down into the chair, resting his head in his hands and not responding. 

&&&&&

Chloe leaned heavily against a wall as she watched Sarah look over the aisle of pregnancy tests nervously. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them again. Her eyebrows furrowed as she detected movement out the corner of her eye. "Clark. Come out." Her voice was quiet, but she knew he'd hear her. 

Crap, Clark thought, turning the corner and meeting Chloe's tired, blank eyes. "Have I lost my touch?" he whispered, glancing over at Sarah, a little confused. 

A wry smile touched her lips. "Only with me," she responded. 

He crossed his arms and maintained a semi-hidden posture behind the end of the aisle. "So what exactly is going on, Chlo?" he asked, concern touching his blue eyes. 

"Really long story," she said wearily. "Let's just say that...a lot's gone on since the last time we saw each other." 

"Apparently." He glanced over at Sarah, who was still looking at an assortment of boxes, her brow furrowed with concentration. "I take it things aren't... going well?" 

"That's an understatement." She shut her eyes, a wave of exhaustion sweeping over her as she leaned heavily against the wall. 

"Chloe, I think I might have found--" Sarah turned to see the blonde leaning against the wall, on the verge of collapse. "Hey, let's get back to the Kent's, okay? I should have done this alone."

Out of sight in this original hiding place, Clark grimaced. 

"No, it's fine. I'm all right," she said, more energy in her voice than she felt. She forced herself into an upright position once more, wincing as her body ached with the movement. 

She wanted to kick herself. "No, you're really not. Come on, I've got what I need." He held up the box and tried to smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. 

"It's gonna be okay," she whispered, slowly pushing herself away from the wall for momentum to walk. "Come on." 

Sarah put an arm through Chloe's and helped her walk towards the cashier's station to pay for her purchase. Knots of anxiety formed in her stomach: she prayed Sam wouldn't know about this until she got the results. 

Casting a glance behind them, she saw Clark dart out the door and a faint, sad smile touched her lips. She knew the guys had sent him to watch out for them. And wondered if they'd ever be truly safe again. 

Sarah walked Chloe to the car and put her into the passenger seat before getting in. She wasted no time getting her back to the Kent Farm. Her friend looked pale and weary. "Chloe, I don't think... maybe you really should wait to see your mom until you're better." She wished she could back up her own words with feeling, but she knew, if Lex or any of his goons was around, they were all in danger. 

A sad smile touched her lips. "I don't think I have the luxury of waiting," she whispered. The breath caught in her throat as the car drove over a bump, jostling her painfully in the seat. She swallowed hard, shutting her eyes against the rush of tears she felt. 

"I’m sorry, Chloe," Sarah whispered, her words taking on several meanings. "I know we don't have much time. Nothing's in our court right now, it seems." She shook her head, thinking how under-exaggerated that statement was. 

"I know," she murmured, biting her lower lip as her mind shifted to a different place. As much as she hated to think it, her friends were in danger--because of her. Because Lex was after her. She shut her eyes. 

"Oh no, don't go there, Chloe Sullivan," Sarah responded harshly, having heard her friend's thoughts stray from her mind. "None of this is your fault, okay? Lex would still be after us because of Sam. Because he's working for that yellow-eyed freak." 

Chloe winced a little, realizing she was too tired to keep the barriers between them up anymore. "Maybe. But the fact is...Lex has had it out for me for awhile now. Because he knows I know...about Clark." 

"All the more reason to wipe this guy off the map." Sarah turned the Impala into the Kent driveway, going as slowly as possible so as to not hit any potholes or bumps. 

She let out a breath, feeling Dean's mind brushing against hers worriedly. "So we just...kill him?" She stared out the windshield. 

She swallowed hard. And nodded faintly. "It might have to come to that," she replied in a whisper, pulling the Impala to a halt and shutting off the engine. 

Chloe was silent for a moment, feeling uneasy on top of nervous and tired. "We should head in." She slowly climbed out of the car. 

Feeling Sam's worry pressing against her mind, Sarah closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "Yeah," she whispered, suddenly more tired than she ever was. She reluctantly followed Chloe back into the house. 

She met Dean's eyes the moment she stepped inside the house and offered him a small smile. 

"Everything okay?" he asked, grabbing her by the arms and pulling her into his hard body. He looked over at Clark and smiled a little, thanking him a small nod. 

She slid her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder. _Yeah,_ she thought, closing her eyes. 

Hiding the pregnancy test in her purse, Sarah walked inside and glanced at Sam, his mind questioning even as he took a step towards her. She held up a hand. _I can't talk, not right now,_ she told him, her mind opening enough to let him hear those thoughts. 

Sam swallowed hard, looking down at the floor, trying to deal with the bitter sting of rejection again. 

Blanching, Sarah gently reached out a hand and touched his sleeve. "Tomorrow, okay?" she whispered, a trembling smile on her face. 

"Sure," he whispered, not looking at her. 

Sighing, she moved away and sat down in the furthest chair, away from everyone else. So she could sneak out when no one was looking and get definitive proof.

Dean helped Chloe onto the couch again, putting a hand on her cheek before looking at Clark. "So, where's Queen? Thought he was supposed to be here by now." He looked over at Sam, alarmed

Sam looked back at his brother worriedly and started to speak when the doorbell rang. 

Chloe tensed immediately, her face draining of all color. 

"I think that's them," Clark said softly, starting hard at the door for a second, then nodding. "Yeah, it's your mom." He glanced at Chloe and frowned. 

Glancing at his brother, Dean scratched the back of his head, confused. "How do you know?" he asked cautiously. The kitchen window curtains were closed, and though there was a shadow behind it, he couldn't make out who it was. 

Sam raised an eyebrow but remained quiet, regarding Clark curiously. 

Chloe let out a breath and slowly rose to her feet, feeling vaguely nauseous. "X-ray vision," she responded, giving Clark a faint smile as she slowly headed into the kitchen. 

Blinking, he whispered, "He can see through things?"

Sarah rolled her eyes but said nothing, taking this moment to leave the room while no one was looking at her. 

Swallowing hard as she paused at the door, she held her breath and then slowly pulled it open, her face ghostly pale as she found herself gazing at Oliver, who stood right in front of her mother. 

Oliver's face fell a little at Chloe's face. She looked like she'd been through hell: he glanced over at Dean, his eyes questioning, but the man looked no better. In fact, they both looked like hell. "Chloe," he said, mustering a small smile. "I'd like to introduce you to... your mother." He stepped aside quickly behind a middle-aged woman, ushering her inside. 

She bit down hard on her lip, gazing at the woman for a long moment. Her voice was strained. "Hi, Mom." 

"Hi, Chloe," Moira Sullivan replied, a graceful smile on her face. She looked around the room and noticed the men standing in various places in the kitchen. "Can I come in?"

Clark blushed a little and stepped back. "Uh, yeah, Mrs. Sullivan. Make yourself at home."

Taking her daughter's hand, Moira walked towards the couch, though she was always aware of Oliver moving just behind her. 

Chloe walked with her to the sofa and slowly sat down, her heart thumping wildly against her chest. A rush of emotions hit her: fear, anger, confusion, joy. Her eyes immediately sought out Dean's as she held back a sob that was building. 

Feeling her mind tug violently against his, Dean immediately moved towards her, his eyes dark with worry, concern. He knew this was too soon: her wide, frightened, overwhelmed eyes spoke volumes. _It's too soon for this, Sammy,_ he thought distractedly, not looking at his brother as he sat down next to her and put her hand in his, squeezing it a little.

Moira knew she should say something, but no words escaped her lips. She sensed her daughter was incredibly stressed, and not just because she was there, sitting with her, having not laid eyes on her in way too many years. She noticed the shortest of them men sit next to her and understood they shared a bond. "Hello," she said to him.

Dean nodded. "Hi. Dean Winchester." He glanced at Chloe, then at her mother, unsure of what else to say. 

Sam sat awkwardly across the room, looking at his brother with uncertainty. _Should I get Clark and Oliver out of here?_ he wondered. 

Chloe sat back a little, resting against Dean for support, her body trembling. "Mom, what..." Her eyebrows furrowed and she blinked back tears. "You're not really..." 

Dean glanced back at Sam. Might be a good idea, little brother, he mused with a frown, his arm snaking around her shoulder to offer extra support.

"No, I'm not," Moira replied quietly, gazing into her daughter's troubled eyes. "I'm not dead, honey. I'm alive, and safe, thanks to Mr. Queen." She looked up at Oliver gratefully. 

Oliver caught Sam's slight nod toward the kitchen and he smiled faintly. "Clark, why don't we go discuss that project we're working on?" He suggested, turning to look at his friend with raised eyebrows. 

Clark looked worried, his gaze having been fixed on Chloe and her mother, but he nodded. "Yeah, good idea. We'll be around if..." He looked at Sam, thumb hooked towards the kitchen. 

Sam nodded a little, watching them disappear and looking at Dean worriedly. 

"Mom, this is...Dean's brother, Sam," she whispered, motioning toward him. 

"Hi, Ms. Sullivan. Nice to meet you," he said quietly. 

Moira smiled at Sam, then at Dean. "Nice to meet you, too. How do you know my daughter?"

Dean's gaze was steady, remaining on Moira, though he felt anything but. "We kinda... ran into her." 

"They saved my life actually." She paused, glancing at Dean and then back at her mother, still shaken. "Dean and I are together." 

Moira's brows shot up at that remark. "Oh," she whispered, looking between Chloe and Dean with interested eyes.

Okay, awkward, Dean thought, a determined smile on his face. He had never experienced scrutiny like this before: hell, at this point, he would have preferred the Demon himself over having to answer to Chloe's mother.

"Well, that's nice," Moira said after a few strained moments. She wasn't sure what else to say to her daughter. 

Finally Chloe couldn't take it anymore. "Mom, what...what happened to you? You disappeared and then...when I found you..." Her voice was strained and she shut her eyes. 

Sam winced, her scrambled, painful thoughts filling his own mind. 

Moira cleared her throat gently and looked into her daughter's eyes. "Yeah, about that... I know you saw me as being... sick, but the truth is, I made you believe that."

Dean blinked in surprise and snuck a look at his brother. Uh oh, he thought suddenly, gripping Chloe's hand gently. 

"What..." She shook her head. "What do you mean?" she asked uncertainly, her body tensing involuntarily. 

"Chloe, I can talk people into believing what I want them to believe. Into saying what I want them to say." 

Chloe stared at her blankly for a long moment, shock washing over her. "And you made me think you were sick." 

Sam quickly looked at Dean, his own eyes wide with shock. 

Chloe's mother nodded a little, her eyes filled with sadness. "I had to," she replied simply. "It wasn't like I had a choice."

Dean connected with his brother's anxious eyes and wondered what kind of person Moira Sullivan was. He never thought she might have some connection with the Demon... until now. 

She pulled away from Dean and stood up, turning her back to her mother. "Of course you had a choice," she whispered. "There's always a choice." 

Moira sighed. She had known this was coming, and she was prepared. "When the choice was between putting my only child, my husband, in permanent danger or keeping them safe and in the dark, I made the right choice." 

She turned to look at her mother, her eyes filled with tears. "For the past two years, I've been terrified that I was going to end up in an institution because I may have inherited the same disorder as you! And before that? Before that I didn't know if you left because you didn't love us, or if you were dead or if you had some other family or--" Her voice broke, her body trembling as the tears spilled down her cheeks. 

Dean stood up and wrapped Chloe in his arms, momentarily glaring at her mother for putting her though this. In fact, as the anger coursed through his veins, he began to wonder if all parents enjoyed getting some sick kick out of torturing their children like this.

Moira stood up, understanding her daughter's frustration and anger. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. You have no idea how many times I wanted to see you, tell you what was really going on. Even Gabe didn't know the truth. I left because I had to, because I knew someday, someone would want to hurt you. Especially if... you've inherited my... abilities."

"Oh yeah? And you planning on using those abilities on us?" Dean demanded harshly. 

Chloe flinched at the implication, swallowing hard and feeling sick to her stomach. "You mean someone like Lex Luthor?" Her voice was pained. 

Sam closed his eyes as he rose to his feet, moving to stand closer to his brother and friend. "Is that the only ability you have, Mrs. Sullivan?" 

"Yes, Chloe, I'm talking about Lex Luthor... and yes, it's the only ability I have," Moira replied, cocking an eyebrow at Sam. Why did he want to know? What did it matter, so long as Lex Luthor wasn’t after her? 

He gazed at her intently. "Because Lex is after Chloe," he said in a quiet voice, watching the surprise flicker over the woman's face. 

"Sam, don't," Chloe whispered. 

"No, Sam's right," Dean countered her, gazing at the older woman. "Lex is convinced Chloe has super powers of some kind. Do you know he's already kidnapped her and done God knows what to her? How the hell can you stand there, telling her all this was for her own good when all it's done is hurt her?" His ire rose with each word spoken: he let Chloe go, though he held onto her hand tightly.

"What?" Moira whispered, horrified at the notion. Her mouth gaped open, unable to utter another syllable. 

"That's how I found out that you weren't really crazy," Chloe said, shutting her eyes. "From Lex. He said...that you were just meteor-infected like I was." She swallowed hard. 

Moira closed her eyes and fell back against the couch cushions, a single tear slipping down her cheek. "I'm so sorry, Chloe," she whispered miserably. 

Her heart hurt as she leaned against Dean for support. "I just...I wish I'd known." 

"I didn't think... I didn't know he'd come after you," she whispered, putting a hand to her head. "I was sure he'd leave you out of this..." Her words trailed off as she realized what she was saying.

Dean wrapped his arms around Chloe and kissed the back of her neck. He watched Moira carefully, however. "What are you talking about?" 

Her own eyebrows furrowed. "What are you talking about, Mom? Leave me out of what?" She shook her head. 

Sam looked at Chloe and his brother worriedly. 

Swallowing hard, Moira opened her eyes and stared at her daughter. "Before Oliver found me... Lex Luthor... he found me... at the institution."

Dean felt his whole body go numb with shock, though he kept his arms firmly around Chloe, whose body suddenly felt like jelly. 

Her face paled even more. "What...what did he want?" she whispered. 

"He wanted... me." Moira looked pained. "He knew about my abilities and wanted to take me... to test on me." 

Chloe's knees buckled and if Dean's arms hadn't been around her she would have fallen. "But he didn't...right?" 

She shook her head. "No, he didn't. Fortunately, Oliver walked in and saw Lex there." He glanced back at the two men who hovered in the kitchen, heads bent in quiet conversation. "He and Clark, they managed to get me out without Lex laying a hand on me."

The muscle in Dean's jaw worked furiously, seriously angry that Lex had come after Chloe because he hadn't gotten to her mother. "That's why he went after you," he whispered in her ear. 

She bit down hard on her lower lip, feeling relieved that her mother was all right, but feeling weak and dizzy at the same time. 

"Dean. She needs to sit," Sam whispered worriedly. 

Taking his brother's cue and mentally berating himself, Dean immediately swept Chloe into his arms and sat down on the opposite couch, ignoring the horrified look on Moira's face as he did.

"No, don't tell me..." she began but the words died in her throat when Dean glared at her.

"He took her," Dean replied, his voice emotionless and flat. "He tested on her... and did God knows what else... because he couldn't take you." 

"Don't," she whispered, squeezing his arm. "Please, Dean." Her voice was pained. 

"What?" Clark stood in the entrance of the living room, Oliver right behind him, both looking stunned. 

"Nothing, Clark." Dean didn't bother looking away from Chloe's mother and ignored the frown crossing Oliver's brow.

"Please tell me you're joking," Oliver said, glancing worriedly at Chloe and then at Sam. 

Sam blew out a breath, looking over at the other men. He shook his head slightly, his face weary. "I wish I could." 

Chloe shut her eyes, leaning back against Dean as a wave of exhaustion washed over her. 

Moira looked up at Oliver, her eyes empty and hurting. "We need to go," she whispered, afraid to look at her daughter, especially since she knew she had suffered unnecessarily. Moira would never forgive herself.

Oliver nodded but glanced at Sam and Dean. "Probably a good idea," he replied quietly, his gaze settling on Chloe finally. "She needs to get some rest."

Dean felt a growl rise in his throat but kept it at bay. 

"You're just gonna leave?" Sam asked in disbelief, staring at the woman. 

"What choice do I have?" Moira snapped, standing up and moving towards Chloe, though she didn't make a move to touch her. "Chloe can't take anymore of this." 

He shook his head, his eyes darkening with anger. He felt his brother's anger too. All of the things that had happened were starting to spin together in his mind. "She came here to see you. To make sure you were safe. She put her own life at risk by coming here, this close to Luthor again, and you're leaving?" 

Feeling the emotion smack her in the face, she took a step back. "Yes, I am, and I don't care how angry that makes you," she replied softly, her eyes boring into the taller man's. "Chloe and I will talk about this when she's stronger."

"Stronger?!" Dean demanded, his eyes nearly glowing red with rage. "Who's to say she'll ever be stronger? Ever again?! Luthor could have killed her had we not been able to get her out!"

Oliver intervened and took Moira's arm gently. "Okay, that's enough." 

"You're right. You should go," Sam said, his voice blunt and hard. "We'll take care of Chloe." He moved to the sofa and sat down beside his brother, his eyes dark and still intently focused on Moira. 

Chloe bit down hard on her tongue as she struggled to sit up. "Be careful," she whispered, looking at her mother tiredly. 

Glancing down at her daughter, Moira bit back the tears. "You too," she whispered, wishing Oliver had never found her. Wishing Lex had taken her instead... because anything was better than watching her daughter suffer for her mistakes.

Dean's head pounded from his brother's anger and glanced over at Sam. Dude, tone it down with the angst, he thought, weary from all the pressure on them. He smoothed Chloe's hair out of her face and cradled her in his arms. 

"I'm gonna get some air." Sam glanced at Dean before rising to his feet and moving out on the porch without another word. 

Clark looked at Oliver. "See you in the morning?" 

Oliver nodded at Clark but said nothing, watching the younger Winchester storm out of the room, his anger and frustration emanating off him in waves. Something had happened, and it had nothing to do with Lex Luthor. He gave Dean a curious glance, but all he got in return was a stony yet weary stare. "Get some sleep tonight," he replied carefully.

Dean snorted. "Sleep, yeah."

Not looking at anyone else, keeping her eyes fixated on the floor, Moira Sullivan moved slowly past Oliver and outside into the night. 

Clark shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, his worried gaze locked on Chloe's pale face. 

"Dean? Can you give us a minute?" Chloe whispered, hearing Clark's troubled thoughts. 

_No,_ he protested mentally, looking at her. _I don't want to leave you._

She leaned back against him, covering his arms with her own. _I know. But he's really freaked out right now and I need to talk to him._

 _And you can't do that in front of me?_ He felt a small surge of jealousy behind his words and kicked himself. He knew there was no reason behind it, that Clark was just a friend to her. He couldn't help it, though: as weak as she was, he felt compelled to spend every waking moment with her. 

A sad weariness crept into her. He didn't trust her. And that was almost as painful as what she'd been through in 33.1. She swallowed hard. 

Dean glanced down at the blonde head and blinked in surprise at her thoughts. He didn't know how she could think that, but he eased her onto the couch, letting her go gently. He didn't know what to say to that, so instead, he kissed her gently on the cheek and blocked his mind from her, to keep his pained thoughts to himself for the moment. Better she not feel his anxiety, he thought as he left the room.

At that moment, Sarah re-appeared quietly, her face tear-stained. She paused, however, when she noticed Dean exit the house through the kitchen door, Chloe and Clark left behind alone. She frowned but snuck into the front hallway, making for the front door. She needed some air. 

Chloe swallowed hard, watching Dean go and not picking up on Sarah's presence as her friend slipped out the front door. "You can sit down, Clark. I'm not gonna bite." 

Taking in a deep, frustrated sigh, Clark moved slowly across the room and sat down next to her. "Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered, his voice small and almost weary with fear. 

"Which part?" Her voice was quiet. 

Where did he start? "Lex, for starters," he said out loud, running a hand across his cheek. "I knew something was wrong, but I never would have guessed he was capable of... this." 

"Well he did have you taken," she murmured, resting her head on the sofa tiredly. 

"That's because I'm from another planet, Chloe. You're not. You might have powers... but he's going to pay for what he did to you." The ire in his voice rose when he realized just how much he wanted to kill Lex. A former friend, now his worst enemy. 

Chloe drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "I'm okay, Clark." 

"No you're not," he protested in frustration. "You look like you've been through hell. I know what that's like, remember? I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but it happened to a friend. And I don't know what's gotten into Sam Winchester, but he's acting strangely, too..." He paused at the look on Chloe's face. 

"It's been a really long few days," she admitted, closing her eyes. "Things haven't been going in our favor for awhile now." 

"Tell me about it," Clark grumbled, looking down at his hands. "Lex has plants everywhere. Literally. And for every one we take down, it seems like two more pop up." He sighed and glanced at Chloe. 

She ran a hand over her face, feeling ill at the thought. "So it's like demon hunting," she murmured. 

"If that's what Dean and Sam have been doing, then yeah, just like that." 

"Not just Dean and Sam." She gazed at him. "The four of us. They've been doing it longer, but...it's a never-ending battle." 

He sighed and nodded. "I don't know the end of it, either, Chloe. Unless... we kill Lex." 

She visibly flinched. "We can't, Clark." Her voice was pained. 

He paused for a moment. "We may not have a choice," he whispered quietly, "and deep down inside, you know it." 

"We don't kill people," she whispered back. "We're not monsters, Clark." 

"No we're not," Clark agreed, looking at her, concern in his eyes, "but if he comes after you again, someone's going to kill him. If it's not me, it'll be Dean and Sam. Mark my words." 

She closed her eyes again, wincing involuntarily. Sarah had all but said the same thing, and deep down, Chloe knew it was true. She bit down on her lower lip. "I know." 

He covered her hand with his gently and mustered a small smile. "Can you tell me... what Lex did to you?" he asked gently, keeping his voice deliberately void of emotion. 

Her face was pained at his question. "Clark..." 

"Was he there?" he persisted. 

Chloe bit her lower lip, nodding slightly and not looking at him. 

Clark frowned, his eyes dark with concern and anger. "Does Dean and Sam know that?" 

"I don't know," she whispered, raking a hand through her hair. "After they got me out...they used a spell to wake me up. It uh...we're connected now. Mentally. I...I don't know how much they know. I've been trying to keep them away from all of it." Her voice was strained. 

"That's probably a good thing," Clark said, not fully comprehending the full impact of her words for a moment. "Because knowing your boyfriend and his brother, they'd go after... Wait, did you say the four of you... are mentally connected?" 

She nodded slightly, exhaling as she opened her eyes to look at him, wondering how weirded out he was. 

Clark cocked an eyebrow. "How's that working?" he asked. "Is it... permanent?" They used a spell to get her out of a coma. How was that possible? he wondered. This was way beyond his league. 

"It's different. And I don't know if it's permanent," she confessed. "And yeah. A little beyond your league." A smile tugged at her lips. 

He looked up in surprise. "How'd you do that?" he asked, his lips curling into a curious smile. 

"Apparently that's my power. Mind reading." A look of confusion passed over her. 

"So this isn't just the spell working?" He looked intently at her. "What is it?" 

"I just realized...before Lex took me...I was only hearing Sam's thoughts." She swallowed hard. 

His intense stare became a worried one. Did Lex do something to trigger her ability? he wondered, squeezing her hand slightly. 

Chloe bit her lip. "He must have," she whispered. 

Clark couldn't fight the grimace that appeared on his face. "Chloe, I'm... sorry," he whispered, at a loss. "I should have been there for you. I don't know how the Winchesters got you out, but... I should've been there, too." 

Her eyes watered as she felt the guilt he was experiencing. It was horrible. Wordlessly she shifted closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face against his shoulder. She wasn't sure if she was trying to comfort him or herself. 

Clark slung an arm around her and held her tightly for a moment, reining in his thoughts, keeping them from her as best he could. He heard the kitchen door slam and looked up, seeing Dean standing there.

"Everything okay?" Dean asked quietly, his eyes betraying his weariness. 

Chloe tried to smile but couldn't quite manage it. She nodded a little and held her hand out toward him. "Clark? Can you do me a favor?" Her voice was very soft. 

"Sure," Clark said, pulling away and looking at her. 

"I really need to see Lois." Her eyes were sad, her heart aching. It had been so long since she'd seen her cousin and it was beginning to hit her how badly she'd missed her. 

He smiled sadly. "I figured you would," he replied, looking at Dean. "That's why we're meeting up with Oliver and the gang tomorrow. Lois'll be there."

Cocking an eyebrow, Dean nodded. It was a good idea, he thought, glancing at Chloe. She needed some sense of normalcy at this point, and her cousin might be able to offer that. 

She nodded a little, relaxing back against Dean as he moved to sit behind her, his arms winding around her waist. I'm tired, she thought, her eyes drifting shut. 

Dean looked over at Clark. "She needs her sleep," he stated as evenly as he could. "Point us in the direction of a spare room?" 

"My mom's out of town. You can take her room," he volunteered quickly. 

"Thanks." He picked Chloe up, sweeping her into his arms, and headed for the stairs without looking back. I'll put you to bed, he thought, a joke in his voice as he reached the second floor. 

She was too tired to smile but she pressed a soft kiss against his collarbone. I love you, she thought, resting a hand against his shoulder. 

Fortunately the door was open, so Dean swept in quickly, pulling the blankets back with one hand and laying her down quickly, then turning to shut the door. Moving back to her, he pulled her shoes off and tucked her into bed. "I love you," he whispered in her ear, nibbling on her earlobe. "It's why I'm jealous of Clark. It's not about trust, because I trust you with my life." 

"I'm not in love with Clark," she whispered, closing her eyes and shuddering a little as his lips pulled lightly against her earlobe. 

"I know you're not," he replied gently, sitting down next to her, cupping her cheek. "But I sometimes wonder if Clark is." 

"In love with himself?" she asked in confusion. 

He smirked at her question, because she was obviously so tired she wasn't making any sense. "Nevermind," he answered, stroking her hair gently. "Get some sleep. I'll stay here... if you want me to." 

"Don't leave me," she murmured. 

"I won't. Wasn't planning on leaving, anyway." He shed his jacket and shoes and crawled into bed next to her, pulling her against his chest, spooning her body against his. 

She leaned her head back against his chest, exhaling slowly as the fatigue pulled at her. Do you think things will ever be okay for all of us? 

He relaxed as best he could against her, grasping the covers and gently tucking them into them. I hope so, he thought absently, feeling her fall into the unconsciousness of sleep. They would get through this, because Dean didn't want to spend the rest of his life hunting and fighting. What he wanted more than anything else was the home his father had wished for him. And in Chloe's arms was the answer to that wish: she had become his home.

And he'd be damned if anyone or anything would disrupt that again. 

&&&&&

The door shut silently behind her, the night air cool against her heated face. She leaned against the railing, fighting back tears of excitement and fear. She hung her head and sightless eyes looked at her hands gripping the wood, her hair hiding her face from the rest of the world. Or from Sam, who had turned to see who had just come outside. 

"You okay?" His voice was quiet, but he made no step toward her. 

She jumped a little, not realizing her husband was on the porch. "Yeah," she whispered hoarsely, forcing herself to look at him. "Fine." 

Right, he thought tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face as he leaned against the railing. 

Sarah winced at the defeat she heard in her mind. She glanced up at Sam, a single tear trickling down her cheek. "I'm pregnant, Sam," she said simply, holding her thoughts firmly behind the mental wall she had built while in the Kent's bathroom. 

He was silent for a moment, shutting his eyes though he wasn't surprised in the least. Nodding a little, he swallowed hard, keeping his own thoughts back. 

Her face fell and she looked away, going back to her original position, gazing at her hands resting on the wood railing. She didn't know what to do. Sam didn't seem to be happy, either. Had he been thinking the same thing? she wondered, the tears streaming down her face. The Demon's words that had been ringing in her mind constantly, giving her little peace and no sleep over the last few days? 

"What do you wanna do?" he whispered, his quiet question breaking the dead silence of the night. 

She rubbed her flat belly unconsciously. "I don't know," she replied. "What do you want to do?" 

Sam swallowed hard. What did he want to do? He wanted to quit this lifestyle, settle down with his wife and raise their children together. But that wasn't his destiny. Rubbing a hand over his face, he shook his head. "I don't know either." 

"I'm... scared, Sam. So... scared." Sarah didn't know how good it would be to always be on the road, being pregnant and trying to raise a child. On the road. Sam's position in the coming battle seemed much more important than her and their child. But something inside her wanted to keep the baby. No matter the cost. 

He hesitated a moment, looked over at her, and slowly moved to her side, gathering her in his arms and pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

Her arms wrapped around Sam's lean waist, leaning into his muscled chest. She sighed and closed her eyes. I'm so tired, she thought, letting him into her mind a little. 

He shut his eyes, pulling her closer and stroking her dark hair with one hand. I know, he thought. 

"The Demon... it said our baby was his," she said, the words falling out of her mouth unheeded. "It's his... it's..." She squeezed her eyes, trying to hold back the torrent of tears. "It knew I was pregnant." 

"Sarah, it's not his," he whispered, lifting his hands to her cheek. "There's no way it could be." 

She let him move her face up to gaze into his concerned, grave eyes. "But it knew, Sam. Before I even had an inkling... How are we going to keep our baby from something we can't even hurt?" Her voice broke and the tears of despair fell unheeded down her cheeks. 

Pain flashed over his eyes and he pulled her against him once more, the breath hitching in his throat. "I don't know yet," he admitted, his own voice strained. "But I promise you I won't let the bastard hurt either of you." 

"So... you want to keep the baby?" she replied out loud, feeling a glimmer of hope in her being, despite the intense fear making her heart pound out of her chest. 

Sam swallowed hard, slowly pulling away to look at her. "You don't?" he whispered, his stomach tightening in a knot. 

"Of course I do," Sarah replied, blinking back the shock she felt. How could you think I don't want our child? 

He felt a wave of relief wash over him. "It's just...you've been pushing me away." 

She nodded and looked down, the guilt of her silence slowly creeping into her heart. "I know," she whispered, her voice low and frightened. 

"So much has been going on," he murmured, leaning back against the railing. "We haven't had any time to just...relax and process anything." 

Sarah sighed and pulled away from him. "Yeah, watching your husband toss doors and people around like they're made of rubber... just a little much to take in." She wrapped her arms around her waist and looked away towards the Impala. 

He winced at her words, feeling vaguely ill. "I know," he whispered, his shoulders slumping. 

As much as she wanted to reach out for him, something inside her prevented her hand from touching his arm. "I just... you make me feel so... useless, Sam," Sarah replied, unable to glance at him because of the look on his face. "And our baby... is it going to have your... abilities?" 

His heart sinking even more, he slowly moved to sit down on the steps. "I don't know." He let out a breath, staring blankly into the distance, a numb sensation settling on him. 

"Sam." His name on her lips was like a small cry, a desperate plea. She wished she knew how to reach across the abyss. The yawning chasm she had created. 

"I wish I had answers," he whispered. "I wish I wasn't..." He cut himself off before he could say the words 'a freak.' Swallowing hard, he shut his eyes. 

His thoughts made her move towards him, closing the distance between them. "You are not a freak, Sam Winchester," she announced, an edge to her voice. "Don't you dare say that." 

"No?" He craned his neck to look at her. "Sarah, you said it yourself. I can rip doors off hinges and throw people around like they're made of rubber. That's not even close to normal." 

"And demon hunting is?" she countered, sitting down next to him. "Sam, what you and Dean do for a living isn't normal. Apparently, Chloe's got some kind of power, or else Lex Luthor wouldn't have come after her. If anyone's a freak, it's me." She looked down and played with her fingernail. 

"You're not a freak." He gazed at her. 

"Sure I am," she argued softly. "I'm the only one who doesn't seem to be good for anything." 

"Are you kidding me?" Sam reached out and touched her arm. "You keep the rest of us from falling apart." 

She laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I'm doing such a great job of that," she replied, closing her eyes against the fresh batch of tears threatening just beneath the surface. "Chloe's a basket case, Dean is inconsolable, and you're such a sight to behold that I wonder why you ever married me." 

Sighing softly, he pulled her against him, pressing a kiss against her hair. "I married you because I love you," he whispered, rubbing her back. "And Chloe and Dean...they just need some time, Sarah. After what Lex..." His voice tensed a little. 

Her body stiffened at the sound in his voice. "I know," she whispered, putting a hand on his chest and bunching his shirt tightly. "I'm afraid we don't have much time to deal with this." 

He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "What are you thinking?" 

She shook her head, looking intently into his eyes. "I don't know, Sam. I have this... feeling... that Lex will be sniffing around for Chloe. And the... Demon..." She couldn't fight back the shudder of revulsion that ran down her back. 

Sam tensed a little, nodding slightly. "Yeah. I have the same feeling," he admitted, slowly rising to his feet and beginning to pace the porch. 

Turning to watch him move, Sarah frowned. "So what do we do? Shouldn't we get out of here, where Lex has a house, for crying out loud?" 

"He'll find us again. It's only a matter of time." There was only one thing to do to keep Chloe safe, he thought, his heart heavy. 

Sarah stilled in fear, reaching out with her mind to touch Sam's. What do you have in mind? she asked him silently, looking around at the shadows that crept over the porch quickly, making her shiver with fear. 

_Lex Luthor has to die._

Her eyes went wide for a moment, blind panic overtaking her system when she realized Sam had every intention of doing this. It was written on his face, in his eyes. _What if he comes after you, instead?_ she wondered, paling at the thought of what could happen if Sam went after Luthor. And failed. 

_I won't fail,_ he thought grimly, gazing at her intently. _No matter how much money he has...I'm stronger than he is._

 _I know that,_ she mused, standing up and moving towards him. _But Sam, his resources seem limitless. Even Oliver and his gang have mentioned the 33.1 facilities keep cropping up everywhere. You can't do this alone._ She slid her hands along his chest, her eyes wide and pleading. 

He glanced toward the house. _I don't think Dean or Clark would let me do this alone anyway._ He reached up and touched her face. 

"Good," Sarah replied out loud, mustering a sad smile. "Because your wife and your baby won't make it without you." She leaned up, caressing his cheek, the worry temporarily clouded by her love for him. 

Sam ducked his head a little and kissed her very softly. He didn't know how, but somehow he was going to make sure everything turned out all right for his family. All of it. 

&&&&&

Chloe slowly drifted toward consciousness, feeling warm and safe beneath the blankets of Mrs. Kent's bed and Dean's arms wrapped around her protectively, his body spooned against her own. Drawing in a breath she slowly opened her eyes, watching the faint light from sunrise filter into the bedroom. She felt Dean press a kiss to her neck and she smiled a little, shivering involuntarily. 

"Good morning," he growled softly, tightening his arms around her, snuggling his face into her hair gently. "I was wondering when you'd wake up." His eyes were tired but happy, glad to feel her body still relaxed against his. She had slept through the night. Definitely a good sign, he thought. 

She leaned back against him, closing her eyes once more. She took a moment to take stock of her body. She was still sore, but not as bad as the day before. Still tired, but not feeling like she'd drop from exhaustion. Maybe whatever Lex's scientists had injected her with had finally worn off. "Morning," she whispered back. 

"Yeah, let's hope so," Dean answered her thoughts automatically, so used to hearing them that he couldn't imagine what would happen when the effects of their group spell wore off. "I'm not about to let you out of my sight again." 

She was silent for a moment. "What if it doesn't wear off?" 

He smiled and nipped at her earlobe gently. "Then I guess I get to torture you with my thoughts from now on," he teased gently, rubbing her arms gently. 

She wasn't entirely sure if the naughty little thought that popped into her mind after his words was his or her own and she couldn't help but chuckle, shivering involuntarily as he kissed her ear. 

"That totally came from you," Dean whispered in her ear, grinning wickedly as he felt her body warm. He held his body in check, ignoring the desires holding her created inside. He sighed, running his mouth against the back of her neck. 

She brushed her cheek against his, nuzzling him lightly as she turned her head. _I love you,_ she thought, a different kind of warmth running through her. _Thank you for being with me._

He felt her love, felt something touch his heart, shaking him to his soul. Holding her close to him, wrapped in his arms, their bodies offering each other warmth beneath the bed's comforter, Dean Winchester could only wonder at the fact that she loved him. _How could I not be with you? _he replied, closing his eyes, letting her scent envelope his senses. _You're the air I breathe, okay?___

__She slowly turned in his arms so she was facing him, reaching up to touch his face and curling against him. _Ditto._ She searched his eyes, her heart beating steadily against her chest. _ _

__His gaze locked with hers; staring intently at her, he whispered, "I mean it, Chloe. It's more than just love. I've... never... Damn, I'm not any good at these chick flick moments." His words teased, though he opened his mind to her, hoping she could feel what he felt. Needing her to understand how much he needed to protect her. Hoping she knew he'd die without her._ _

__She swallowed hard, the emotions she felt flowing from him intense. Wordlessly she kissed his lips, closing her eyes._ _

__Dean sank beneath the weight of her kiss, groaning inwardly at the riotous emotions he felt flowing between them. The air felt alive with electricity. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her closer, their mouths moving together slowly, leisurely._ _

__So the soft knock on the door didn't register with him until it got a lot louder._ _

__She smiled faintly against his lips. I think we have company. She placed another soft kiss against his mouth before looking over her shoulder. "Come in."_ _

__Dean sat up and pulled Chloe with him, just in time to see Sarah and Sam walk through the door, looking a little uncertain. "Hey guys," he said, nodding for them to come in. "You two look like... hell."_ _

__Sarah smirked a little. "Thanks, Dean. Nice to see you, too."_ _

__Sam smirked at his brother as well, then shifted his gaze to Chloe. "You look more rested." His voice was soft and he reached out and took Sarah's hand._ _

__"I am," she said just as softly, a small smile on her face._ _

__Sarah nodded and mustered a smile. "Good, I'm glad to hear that, Chlo. We've been worried about you." Her gaze shifted to Dean. "Both of you."_ _

__Dean simply nodded and glanced at his brother. _You two finally talk?__ _

___Yeah, we did._ Sam squeezed Sarah's hand gently and settled on the edge of the large bed, pulling her down gently to sit, as well. _ _

__Chloe sat up a little more, studying Sarah for a moment and cocking her head to one side curiously._ _

__She flushed under the blonde's scrutiny and nodded gently. "Yeah, I told him," she whispered, glancing at Chloe even as she threaded her fingers through Sam's hand._ _

__Dean looked from Sarah to Chloe to Sam, confusion written all over her face. "Okay, you two talked, and you told him... what?"_ _

__Chloe couldn't stop the grin that spread across her face, her green eyes lighting up as she suppressed the urge she had to squeal with excitement._ _

__Sam almost laughed at her reaction. "Sarah's pregnant," he said softly, looking at his brother._ _

__Sarah bit her lip, trying to suppress the laughter threatening to bubble over from Chloe's response. She looked at Dean, her shy eyes shining. "Can you deal with that... Uncle Dean?" she teased._ _

__Dean didn't know what to say for a moment: he never thought this would happen in his little family. When it sank in, however, a wide, cheesy grin spread across his lips. "Way to go, little brother," he pronounced with a knowing smile, holding Chloe close against his chest as he spoke._ _

__Sam's cheeks flushed and he shook his head in amusement. "Thanks, Dean."_ _

__Chloe's grin widened a little more. "Wow. This is...we should celebrate!"_ _

__"Celebrate?" Sarah asked out loud, wondering at the word. "What is that, exactly? Chocolate, partying, drinking?" Her eyes glistening as she looked at Sam, wide-eyed and filled with hope for them all._ _

__"Well, maybe for the rest of us." She smirked. "I think that last one's out for you for awhile." She winked playfully._ _

__Sam smiled, pressing a kiss to Sarah's cheek._ _

__"Oh God, you're not going to turn Clark Kent's house into a frilly, girly party place, are you?" Dean asked, teasing and yet a little horrified at the same time. Drinking sounded like a great idea, but not if he'd have to be subjected to wading through baby clothes and stuff._ _

__Sarah rolled her eyes at Dean's thoughts. "Dean, those things don't come for several months," she said, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Maybe Chloe's thinking dinner or something. I can watch you three get sloppy drunk and take blackmail pictures, just in case." She turned to Chloe and winked at her._ _

__Chloe laughed, then winced a little, pressing a hand to her ribs and shutting her eyes for a moment until the pain subsided._ _

__Sam's face grew serious once more at the reality of their situation sank in again. He shifted his gaze to meet Dean's. We need to talk, he thought._ _

__Rubbing his face quickly, Dean pressed a gentle hand to Chloe's head, pulling her back into his embrace. "Where do you want to start, Sammy?" he asked, knowing full well the danger Sarah was in. Another something to add to their growing list of issues._ _

__He was silent for a moment. "Lex Luthor."_ _

__Dean felt Chloe wince and her body tense. He planted a kiss on her head. "He's not going to get you," he whispered in her ear. He then looked up at Sam, saw the intention in his eyes, and felt a mixture of relief and anxiety. Two things he rarely felt. "That... guy...." he bit out, "is going down. In the horrible, painful kind of way."_ _

__Sarah looked at Chloe and put a hand over hers. She agreed with Dean, however, and nodded. "Yeah, we agree."_ _

__Sam nodded slightly, holding his brother's gaze. "I'm willing to bet Clark and Oliver Queen will be more than happy to help us out."_ _

__"No." Chloe's voice was very soft, almost inaudible._ _

__"Chloe," Dean protested, "there's no argument here. He's got to be taken down. Only then can we deal with the Demon." He glanced over at Sarah, who had turned pale at the mention of their greatest enemy._ _

__She pulled away from him, turning to look at him. "We don't just go around killing people, Dean," she said, her eyes filled with worry. "We're not murderers. And yes, Lex and Lionel...deserve every bad thing that happens to them but...it can't be us."_ _

__"Lex Luthor isn't a human being," Dean shot back, trying to keep a lid on the sudden rush of anger. "He's making an army of freaks for the thing that killed my family... and Jessica..." He nodded towards Sam. "Who's going to take him out if not us?" He looked at Sam. "Dude, you can jump in at any time with this."_ _

__"Chloe, he's right." Sam's voice was quiet and he gazed at her intently. "If we just let Lex keep on doing what he's doing--who knows who he'll go after next." He looked at his wife, then back at Chloe. "He's already had both you and Clark in that damn place, and you almost didn't make it."_ _

__She flinched a little, feeling uneasy. "And if we go after him in cold blood, we're no better than he is.”_ _

__Sarah frowned and blew out a breath. She knew where Chloe was coming from, though she wanted more than anything else to make sure Lex paid for his crimes against her loved ones and friends. "Chloe's right, guys," she said quietly. "I want him dead, especially since I'm afraid he's going to come after Sam, but tracking him down is just asking for trouble."_ _

__Dean stiffened in irritation. "How the hell can we take care of you two with that monster walking around? Christ, look at that he did to Clark... and that dude's nearly indestructible!"_ _

__Sam frowned. "Sarah, I thought we were on the same page on this."_ _

__"Guys, believe me, I understand where you're coming from. We both do." She glanced at Sarah, then at Sam and Dean. "But this isn't the way to handle things."_ _

__"I am on the same page with you, Sam," she replied firmly, looking earnestly into her husband's eyes. "Lex has to die. I totally agree with you. And I know you and Dean could do it. The problem is, I can't help but wonder if the Demon wants you to do just that." She looked down at her hands. "You two aren't killers. Not like that."_ _

__Dean shook his head and looked at the wall. He couldn't believe what he was hearing._ _

__Chloe reached out and touched his shoulder. _It's because we love you that we don't want you to do this.__ _

___And it's because we love you that we need to do this,_ Dean protested mentally, looking over at Chloe and then at Sarah. _ _

__An uneasy silence crept over the room._ _

__"Clearly we're not going to agree on this," Sam said quietly._ _

__"So... what are we going to do?" Sarah asked, her voice echoing her husband's uncertainty._ _

__Chloe drew in a breath and let it out slowly, resting her head on one hand for a long moment. The thought of Lex getting a hold of Sam, or Sarah or their baby, or anyone else for that matter, was almost too much to bear. Putting up her mental walls for the time being, she shut her eyes, trying to think._ _

__Dean stared intently at Chloe, running his fingers through her hair lightly. He bit back his frustration, his need to take out Luthor himself: as much as he wanted revenge for what that monster had done to Chloe, something told him that going in half-cocked and angry would only get someone killed. Someone close to him. Dean couldn't afford for that to happen._ _

__Sarah's sudden words disrupted the heavy silence. "Maybe... Lex isn't ours to take down."_ _

__"Someone has to do it, Sarah." Sam looked at her, his voice quiet._ _

__"Then maybe Oliver and Clark should do it," she replied steadily, looking at Sam directly, "because I'm not going to risk losing you to him."_ _

__Dean glanced over at Sarah and frowned. "What? That's not their fight. Not totally."_ _

__"Clark's been battling with Lex for the past six years," Chloe said softly, not looking at him. "And Oliver's been at it longer. Sarah's right."_ _

__Sam stared at her. "Lex Luthor is working for the demon that killed our mother. I think that gives us priority over whatever vendetta Clark and Oliver have against Luthor."_ _

__"Damn straight it does," Dean growled lowly, his hands falling away from Chloe's neck. "We kill Luthor, we might have a way to get to the demon."_ _

__Glancing down at her hands, Sarah said nothing. "Nice to see you two can think outside the box for a millisecond."_ _

__Sam rose off the bed and began to slowly pace the length of the floor._ _

__"Yeah, and what happens the next time we run into a bad guy? A rapist or a murderer?" Chloe's voice was quiet. "We just gonna off every criminal that wanders into our path?"_ _

__Dean snorted. "If they're possessed by a demon... otherwise, that's what the freaking cops are for!"_ _

__"Not every bad guy is a demon, Dean," Sarah replied quietly, "and you know it. I, for one, would rather spend the rest of my life running from Lex Luthor than to have you two take him on." She looked pointedly at Sam for a moment._ _

__"Lex isn't possessed." Chloe gazed at Dean intently._ _

__Sam raked a hand through his hair. "How can you say that?" He looked at his wife. "You wanna spend the rest of your life on the road, running from Lex? What kind of life is that for this baby?" His voice wasn't harsh, but he shook his head._ _

__"The dude's soulless, Chloe," Dean replied, staring intently at her. "In my book, that makes him a demon."_ _

__Sarah stood up, hurt by Sam's words. She glanced at Chloe and Dean, who seemed locked in their own debate. "It'd be a better life than going through one without you," she whispered, almost inaudibly._ _

__Sam shut his eyes. "That's not gonna happen," he whispered back._ _

__"You don't know that." Chloe's voice was sharp as she turned her gaze to Sam, then looked back at Dean once more._ _

__Dean pointed at Sam. "He's the one with the abilities to get us through this," he said, his voice hard and emotionless. "I saw what Sam did to rescue you, dammit. I've never seen anything like it ever in my life. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let my brother sink into the demon's need of him just because there might be a doubt about our survival."_ _

__Sarah blanched visibly and turned to look out the window, her arms wrapped around herself._ _

__Chloe's face paled a little at his words, tears stinging her eyes. Wordlessly she moved off the bed and left the room, raking a hand through her tangled hair as she slowly descended the Kents' staircase, needing to clear her head._ _

__Sam sighed softly and closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall. "Well that went well."_ _

___Sarcasm duly noted,_ Sarah thought before turning her thoughts completely off. Turning, she left the room after Chloe. She couldn't handle looking at either of the Winchester brothers._ _

__Dean sighed as he watched Sarah leave quickly in Chloe's steps. "Dude, why is it every time I speak my mind, I get... stomped on?" He frowned and glanced at his brother._ _

__"They're just freaked out, Dean," he said wearily, rubbing his forehead. "Don't take it personally."_ _

__"When aren't they freaked out, Sammy?" he replied, running a hand over his face. "Don't you think this might be... too much for them to handle?"_ _

__"I don't know," he murmured, sitting down on the floor and staring at the wall._ _

__"I say, let Chloe visit Lois and then we get the hell outta Dodge." Dean stood up and crossed the room, grabbing clean clothes from his bag. "We can argue about how to kill Lex Luthor while we track his sorry ass down."_ _

__"Yeah. I agree with that." His voice was quiet. "Staying here much longer is a bad idea."_ _

__Sighing, Dean nodded. He wanted nothing more than to stop this life on the road. Kill Lex. Kill the demon. And stop this constant running. From the look on his brother's face, he figured Sam was thinking the same thing. "So... what are we going to do to change their minds?"_ _

__He shifted his gaze to Dean. "Somehow...I think that's going to be a harder task than we planned on."_ _

__"Well, you're the research geek. Can't you find out how?"_ _

__"And exactly how am I supposed to do that, Dean? It's not like their brains are downloadable onto my laptop."_ _

__The eldest Winchester rolled his eyes. "Fine. You can't hook them up to your computer, then why not show them how much better you'd be at kicking Luthor's butt? Because we both know you're going to be at the head of that action."_ _

__"What do you want me to do? Throw the Kent's furniture around with my mind?" He rolled his eyes and rose to his feet. "They already know."_ _

__"Clearly they don't, or they wouldn't be keeping us on the short leash, Sam." Dean headed for the bathroom off the bedroom to change, nearly punching a hole in the wall in irritation. Why did they have to be with women who were as stubborn as they were?_ _

__& &&&&_ _

__"Clark, I swear if you've done anything to hurt Chloe..." Lois started as she slammed the kitchen door shut at the Kent Farm, glaring as she saw the crest-fallen look on Chloe's face as she looked at her cousin._ _

__"Hey, Lois." Her voice wobbled as she gazed at her favorite cousin, tears prickling at her eyes._ _

__"Chloe." Lois forgot about anything else and ran towards her cousin, hugging her tightly. "God, it's good to see you. Are you okay?" She barely noticed the Winchesters or Sarah Blake sitting in various places around the room._ _

__She hugged her back tightly, burying her face against Lois's shoulder, shaking her head a little._ _

__For several minutes, Lois said nothing, holding Chloe while she wept silently. Her fear knew no bounds. Ever since she'd left Smallville with those guys, Lois had always wondered if her cousin was okay, if she was alive... if those guys were taking care of her. She glanced up at Dean and Sam warily. "Which of you did it?" she demanded softly._ _

__"It's not what you think," Sam said quietly, shaking his head._ _

__"Oh really?" Lois replied, cocking her eyebrow. "Then tell me what is actually *is*." Her gaze slid to Dean and held his for a moment._ _

__He snorted softly. "No way, sister," he replied. "Don't look at me like I'm the evil party."_ _

__"Can we please...?” She slowly pulled away from Lois, taking her arm. "Go to the other room?"_ _

__"Sure," she replied, standing and letting Chloe lead the way to the Kent's dining room. Probably the one place in the house that would afford a little privacy, she thought with a grimace. Dean was going to get his ear chewed off when she was through with him, Lois thought angrily._ _

__"It's not Dean," Chloe whispered, watching the surprise flicker over Lois's face. "And yeah...I just read your mind."_ _

__"Okay... wait a minute... how...?" Lois stammered, utterly shocked at this revelation. She sat down next to Chloe, a confused look on her face. "How the hell can you do that?" she finally managed to get out._ _

__She drew in a breath, leaning back against the sofa, curling her feet beneath her. "I'm meteor infected, Lois."_ _

__"Meteor infected? Wait, as in... these green meteor rocks?"_ _

__"Yeah." She gazed at her cousin, reading the confusion, the worry, plain as day. "My mom's infected, too." Her voice was soft._ _

__"What?" Lois wished she knew what to think, but the truth was, she didn't know where to begin. "When, Chlo? How? I thought she was in that institution in Topeka."_ _

__"She was. But...apparently she was driving through Smallville the day that the first meteor shower hit. I was in the car with her," she whispered. "She's not sick. She never was."_ _

__"Then why has she pretended to be?" she demanded, keeping her voice low so the others couldn't hear. "She all led us to believe she was sick. Even Dad thought..." She bit her lip and closed her eyes in pain._ _

__"I know." Her voice was pained and she covered her face with her hands for a moment before speaking again. "She thought she was protecting me."_ _

__"From what?"_ _

__"People who'd...want to learn more about the meteor rocks. About...what effects it has on people." She bit her lip, looking down at the floor._ _

__Lois frowned. "Okay, Coz, spill it. There's something I know you're keeping from me."_ _

__"How much do you know about Lex Luthor's...pet projects?"_ _

__"Which ones, Chloe? Lex seems to have lots of fingers in lots of pies." Her eyes reflected concern and fear._ _

__"Level 33.1," she whispered. "Specifically."_ _

__Lois blinked in surprise. "33.1? Chlo, what do you know about that? My sources tell me that's the last place anyone wants to be."_ _

__"This source can tell you that for sure." She didn't look at her cousin._ _

__"And how do you know --?" Lois's words died in her throat when she realized, suddenly, Chloe had been there. In one of Lex's facilities. "What did he do to you, Chloe?" she whispered, horrified. Bitter, angry tears pricked the back of her eyes._ _

__Feeling ill, it took her a moment to respond. "I'm not exactly sure. I don't remember everything. I...he knows that I'm a meteor-freak." She shuddered involuntarily._ _

__Lois paled considerably, pulling her cousin into a protective hug for a moment. "What?" she whispered. "How does he know you're infected with anything? How do you know? Is it because of this mind-reading thing?"_ _

__"I'm not sure how he found out about me. But he knows about Mom, too. I think...he may have just guessed and found out about me. And yeah, there's that." She leaned against her cousin, closing her eyes. "And also the fact that Mom confirmed it."_ _

__Never one to sit still, Lois pulled away from Chloe and stood up, walking little circles around the couch. "Okay, so Lex just assumed and took you, just in case?" she asked out loud. "That bastard. He's going to pay for this." She glanced at her cousin. "When did you start reading minds? Does Lex think this is going to help with that army he's trying to build? Did these guys you're still with have to do with any of this?"_ _

__"Easy, Lois. One question at a time." She let out a breath. "It started a few weeks ago. But...it wasn't...I mean, I couldn't read just anyone's mind 'til after Lex took me."_ _

__"So you could before he took you?" she asked, giving Chloe a look._ _

__"I could only read Sam's mind before then," she whispered. "Whatever he did to me...seems to have kick started my ability into high gear."_ _

__Lois felt like she had been run over with a steam-roller. Lex Luthor had done the unthinkable: he had messed with a member of her family. Her fists curled into tight balls as he anger grew by the second. "It's a good thing Lex isn't in town right now, because if he was..." She glanced at her cousin._ _

__Chloe tried to smile but didn't quite manage it. "Yeah, Dean and Sam are out for blood," she whispered, keeping her mental wall up._ _

__"They should be," Lois replied in a flat, angry tone. "I would be, too." She saw Chloe's face pale in response and frowned. "Come on, Chlo, the guy messed with my closest family. Don't I have the right to want some vengeance?"_ _

__"You do, but...Lois, Lex is dangerous. More dangerous than any of you even realize." Her voice was tired._ _

__"That's why I've got to expose Lex for what he is," she replied with a determined smile. "I'm going to kill him... with words."_ _

__"Just be careful. Please." Chloe gazed at her intently._ _

__Lois smiled and looked over at Chloe. "Hey, I learned the newspaper biz from the best, ya know." She was about to open her mouth when Dean walked into the room._ _

__She shifted her gaze to Dean silently, winding her arms around herself._ _

__"They're here," he replied, his eyes averting Chloe's face._ _

__"Who's here?" Lois asked carefully, looking neutrally towards Dean._ _

__"Your... aunt," Dean said simply. "And Oliver Queen."_ _

__An embarrassed blush spread across Lois's face. "Oliver's here?" she whispered, looking past Dean's shoulder, as if she possessed the ability to see through walls._ _

__Chloe let out a breath, temporarily having forgotten what a disaster that might turn out to be. "God. I'm sorry. I should have warned you he was coming, Lois. I didn't even think about it."_ _

__"No, it's okay," she replied, running a hand through her hair. "I'm so over him, really."_ _

__Dean cast a curious glance at Lois, a small smirk on his face._ _

__Chloe was far from convinced. "Oliver's...he's the one who got my mom out of the institution before Lex got to her."_ _

__"He's been taking care of her?" she asked quietly, taking an involuntary step towards the other room._ _

__"Yeah." She nodded a little, casting a glance at Dean._ _

__Holding out a hand towards her, he whispered, "Ready for round two?" When she hesitated, his hand fell to his side lamely. He should have known, he thought, feeling like he'd been kicked in the gut. Sam was right: they would have a fight ahead of them to convince Chloe and Sarah that doing Lex in would be the right thing._ _

__Realizing he'd taken her hesitation the wrong way, she reached out and slid her arm through his, letting her walls drop for a moment. _I'm just nervous about seeing her again,_ she thought, looking up at him. _ _

__He mustered a sad, somewhat defeated smile. Okay, he replied, nodding. He threaded his fingers through hers and looked at Lois, who wore a bemused grin._ _

__"Boy, what I wouldn't give to read minds," Lois stated with a knowing grin._ _

__Chloe's face flushed at the implication and she shot her cousin a look. "Funny."_ _

__Dean smirked. "I like your way of thinking," he replied, kissing Chloe's red cheek quickly. He then moved away from the breezeway, letting both women pass in front of him. He knew they would want to see Mrs. Sullivan._ _

__Oliver froze when he spotted Lois across the room. He hadn't expected to see her._ _

__Stopping dead in her tracks, she swallowed hard at seeing Oliver's dazzling handsome face. She coughed quietly, and gripped Chloe's hand behind her._ _

__Chloe gave her hand a gentle squeeze, moving so she was standing beside her instead of behind her. Her gaze shifted to her mother, who stood in front of the door between Clark and Oliver._ _

__"Good morning, Chloe," Moira whispered, a small, gentle smile on her face. She moved into the room and glanced back at the two men flanking her. "Can I possibly have... a moment with my daughter and niece?"_ _

__Clark smiled and glanced at Oliver, who hadn't taken his eyes off Lois. "Sure, Mrs. Sullivan," he stated, smacking Oliver's chest lightly._ _

__Oliver coughed. "Of course. We'll be outside." He turned and headed out the door, Clark following closely._ _

__Sarah, who had been sitting in a chair in the corner, coughed slightly and stood up, glancing at Sam momentarily before heading upstairs. I'm going to give you time with your family, she sent out to Chloe, though she didn't look back. Their problems would come later._ _

__Thanks, Sarah, she thought, glancing over her shoulder as Sarah left the room, followed by a somewhat reluctant Sam._ _

__Moira cast a curious look at Dean, who obviously seemed awkward standing in the middle of the room with a bunch of women. "Why don't you go take a drive, Dean?" she offered suggestively, smiling brightly. "I think the Impala needs her morning drive."_ _

__As if in a trance, Dean replied, "You know, you're right. I always tell Sam that, but he never listens." With a wide smile on his face, he strode the door, slamming the kitchen door behind him._ _

__Chloe stared after him for a moment, her face flushing as she realized what had just happened. She shifted her gaze to her mother, her eyes accusing. "You had no right," she whispered, anger barely contained in her voice._ _

__"What happened?" Lois asked, clearly confused as she took a seat on the couch._ _

__Moira shrugged and sat down opposite Lois. "I know you're mad at me, Chloe, and you'll probably never forgive me. Dean looked like he needed air, so I gave him a nudge in the right direction."_ _

__"If you want someone to leave the room, you ask them to leave the room." Her teeth were gritted. "You don't just mind warp them to make them do whatever you want!"_ _

__She crossed her arms. "Dean doesn't strike me as the type who would just go away if you asked him."_ _

__Lois gaped in shock. "Are you kidding me?" she whispered. "My aunt can tell people what do to with... her mind?"_ _

__Chloe didn't look at her cousin, her gaze set firmly on her mother. "You don't know anything about him. Or me."_ _

__"And I guess that won't change, not after everything that's happened," she replied with a frown._ _

__"How can it?" This time her voice was pained._ _

__This time, Moira looked away, her eyes cast to the floor in sorrow. "I don't know."_ _

__Lois looked between the two women, incredulous. "Oh come on, you two are killing me!"_ _

__Moira's head shot up. "Excuse me?"_ _

__Chloe let out a frustrated breath and slowly sank down into a chair between her mother and her cousin. "Lois, Mom's power is that she can make people do whatever she wants by her thoughts."_ _

__Sputtered, surprised laughter spilled from Lois's lips. "You're kidding, right?" She couldn't believe she was having this conversation._ _

__Moira shook her head, not sure whether to be amused or disconcerted. "No, Lois, it's true. I could make you cluck like a chicken if I wanted you to."_ _

__The laughter died in her throat. "Don't you dare," she whispered suddenly, casting an uneasy glance in Chloe's direction._ _

__Chloe gazed back at Lois, feeling every bit as uneasy as her older cousin. "Believe me, I know it's weird."_ _

__"Weird doesn't begin to describe it," Lois retorted hotly. "Here I thought my aunt was just crazy. Now I find she's just got some freaky power that she's kept from everyone for who knows how long?" She glared at Moira. "You know you could've gotten Chloe killed, right?"_ _

__The older woman simply looked down at her hands._ _

__"She knows, Lois," she whispered, closing her eyes for a moment. "So what happens now? What are you gonna do?" She turned her head to look at her mother._ _

__Not glancing at her only daughter, Moira sighed heavily. "I think it'd be best if... Oliver put me someplace where no one can find me."_ _

__"No one?" Chloe repeated dully._ _

__She nodded wordlessly. She knew, more than anyone else, that Lex Luthor didn't need to find her. It pained her to think, however, that she might not see Chloe again._ _

__"Right. Of course." She forced herself to take a deep breath, emotions rolling through her like wildfire. She didn't dare look at her mother or at Lois, for that matter. Swallowing hard, she rose to her feet._ _

__Lois had never been more confused, but that didn't stop her from standing up with Chloe. "Wait a second. Why do you need to leave where no one can find you?" she asked earnestly._ _

__"Because of Lex," Moira replied quietly, her eyes straying to her daughter. "I can't run the risk of being taken again... or of knowing where Chloe might be so he can try to get her, either."_ _

__"Oh, no way is he going to lay a finger on Chlo," Lois answered, the glint of determination in her voice. "Not if I can help it."_ _

__She rested a hand on Lois's shoulder. "You won't know where I am, either," she told her mother, gazing at her intently._ _

__"I hate to say this, but... I think that's the best thing. For now."_ _

__She dropped her gaze to the table, knowing that was true. "So I guess...this is goodbye. Again."_ _

__"I guess it is." Moira's voice was filled with defeat._ _

__Lois shook her head, irritated. "God, you two are worse than the Kents with this non-verbal crap. I can't believe you're just going to... take off with Ollie? Like that?"_ _

__"Lois...there's not really a lot of options here. Lex knows I'm missing and it's only a matter of time before he finds me." Chloe looked at her cousin. "Or Mom. Or worse, both of us."_ _

__Blowing out a breath, Lois whispered, "Okay, you're right. You should go... both of you."_ _

__Her eyes were sad as she gazed at Lois for a moment, then turned to look at her mother. "Stay safe, Mom."_ _

__"You, too, Chloe. All of you. Take care." Her eyes filled with tears and she held open her arms, silently pleading for a hug._ _

__Chloe hesitated only a moment before hugging her tightly, a tear trickling down her cheek._ _

__Wrapping her daughter into her embrace, Moira fought back the torrent of emotions coursing through her veins. She felt Chloe shake with a sob and took a deep, cleansing breath. "We'll meet again," she whispered inaudibly. "I promise."_ _

__She nodded wordlessly, unable to speak. She reluctantly pulled away and watched as her mother headed out the door slowly. Holding her breath, she pressed a hand against her mouth, hot tears spilling down her face._ _

__For a moment, Lois didn't know what to do. She had never seen Chloe so broken before. Not even Clark Kent had pushed her to this point before. "Chloe," she whispered, moving towards her cousin and putting her arms around her, feeling the shed tears spill onto her arms._ _

__She wept against her cousin's shoulder, her body trembling with the force of her emotions._ _

__Having felt Chloe's intense anguish, Sarah crept downstairs to check on her friend. She found her cousin, Lois, hugging her tightly, looking a little awkward. _Everything okay?_ Sarah asked, letting her mental guard down for a moment. _ _

___No,_ she thought, letting her own mental walls slip. _Nothing's okay.__ _

__She felt the despair rip through her mind; lower lip trembling violently, she could only nod while fighting back her own tears. "Has... Mrs. Sullivan... left?" she whispered out loud._ _

__Looking over at the brunette, Lois nodded. "Just a minute ago."_ _

__She slowly pulled away from Lois, wiping at her eyes as she sank down into one of the chairs at the Kent's kitchen table. Shuddering, she rested her head in her hands for a moment. Dean, she thought, letting her mental walls drop a bit more. _Come back. We need to get out of here soon.__ _

__Sarah felt Dean shake himself out of whatever funk he had found himself in and literally turn the car around. "Feels like he's coming back," she said out loud, looking at Chloe. "Want me to get your stuff together?"_ _

__Lois's eyes widened and she looked at Sarah. "What are you talking about?" she asked loudly._ _

__"If you don't mind," she whispered. "I still need to talk to Lois."_ _

__Sarah nodded and headed back upstairs. Sam, she thought, we're leaving soon._ _

__Lois turned to look at Chloe, still wide-eyed._ _

__"Yeah, that's..." She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "When they rescued me from 33.1 I wasn't really...in very good shape." The last thing she wanted to do was tell her cousin the rest of the story, but by the look on Lois's face, she knew she wasn't going to get by without spilling the whole truth. "I was in a coma. They did a spell to bring me out of it. It sorta...linked our minds together."_ _

__Lois blinked. Hard. "So... all four of you are mentally linked?"_ _

__"Aren't you glad I came back?" Her voice was light, but her eyes were forlorn._ _

__"Yes, I am," she immediately replied, deadly serious. "I've been really worried about you."_ _

__She managed a small smile. "I missed you too, Lois."_ _

__"Can you maybe keep in touch this time?" she asked softly, trying to smile a little._ _

__Her eyes watered and she hugged her cousin tightly once more. "It'll be short contacts. Too easy to trace phone calls. Email?"_ _

__Lois nodded silently, a couple tears slipping down her face. "Be careful, Chloe. I hope... these guys... they're taking care of you."_ _

__"They are." She kissed Lois's cheek and pulled away slowly, feeling Dean's presence as he pulled into the driveway._ _

__Leaping out of the driver's seat, Dean made a bee-line for the Kent's house, yanking the door open angrily. "Okay, where is she?!" he demanded loudly. "Your mother full-on Obi-Wan'd me, dammit!"_ _

__She flinched at the anger in his tone. "She left already."_ _

__Fuming, he growled, "We're going. Now." He took for the stairs, racing up them to grab their things._ _

__Lois smirked. "Does that guy ever calm down?"_ _

__"Rarely," she murmured, drained and offering her a pained smile._ _

__She went to say something but didn't. The last thing her cousin needed was her two cents about Dean Winchester. Especially when said man had appeared in the room again, laden down with their bags, his brother and Sarah in tow._ _

__Dean nodded to Lois but said, "Chloe, are you ready?"_ _

__She didn't speak, simply nodded as she raised her mental walls up again. The last thing she wanted was the three of them in her head right then. Not when she was feeling the way she was. She hugged Lois one last time. "Love you," she whispered._ _

__"Love you too, Cuz," Lois replied brokenly, wishing they could stay. Wishing she could go with them. Knowing neither was possible. "Email me as soon as you can."_ _

__"I will. I promise." She reluctantly pulled away. "Take care, Lois." She managed a tiny, watery smile before following her friends out the door at the Kent's house._ _

__Watching her cousin leave, Lois walked to the screen door and witnessed her only true family get into the black Chevy Impala, her face tortured and nearly broken. "Take care of my family, Dean Winchester," she whispered, hearing the roar of the engine, seeing the car head down the driveway. Wondering if she would ever see Chloe again._ _


End file.
